Page 21 of Fighting My Demons

“Yes,” I breathe, my voice airy.

Why the fuck have I just said that? Why do I always feel strange in their presence? I almost don’t recognize my own voice when the words leave my lips.

“Do you want him to touch you?” Blaine asks.

“Blaine, enough,” Latham snaps.

“Bella?” he asks, his voice almost hypnotic.

I go to answer, when I hear another voice.

“Bella, hello.”

“Earth to Bella,” I hear, shaking my head and closing my eyes.

Only when I open them, I am sitting at a table. I look around to find all three of them staring at me. Latham has a shirt on, while Xavier is clicking his fingers in front of my face.

“Where did you go?” he asks, and I look down to find a plate in front of me.

I look back up, confused. Have I imagined all that? I can still feel Blaine’s touch. He has a smirk on his face, and I feel my face heat up.

“Are you okay, Bella? You look rather hot and bothered,” Blaine asks, and my face reddens even more.

How did I get to the table, if I imagined it? I am so confused, and he is right; I am extremely flustered, my thighs slick with arousal.

“Have we always been sitting here?”

I don’t know what I am asking and shake my head, trying to remember anything other than the weird-ass daydream I’ve just had.

“Yes, Bella. We were talking about work and the conference meeting coming up with that company,” Latham says, but I have no memory of it.

I shake it off trying to get my bearings about me, and I suddenly want to flee. Yet I also feel weirdly comfortable here.

We spend the rest of dinner talking about work, yet Blaine won’t stop staring at me like he knows something I don’t. It sets me on edge a bit, and I can still feel his lips on mine. It feels so real, but how they act is as if nothing happened, making me question myself.

I help Xavier clear the plates and wash up. Latham and Blaine are talking in hushed whispers, like they are arguing about something. Looking over at them, they both stop, turning to face me. I quickly look away while Xavier hands me another plate to dry. When we are done, I hang the tea towel on the oven door.

“I should go,” I tell them, needing to get away from them.

“You are leaving already?” Xavier pouts, and I can’t help but smile at him.

He genuinely looks upset. But I can't trust myself around them.

“I will walk you back,” Latham offers, but I shake my head.

“No, that’s fine, you don’t have to.”

He ignores me, and I roll my eyes before heading toward the door. I reach for the door handle when I hear loud banging in the corridor.

“Bella, open up!” I hear Brian’s voice yelling at my door.

My hands shake as I grip the doorknob, and Latham’s hand falls on mine. The doorknob stops rattling, and I look over my shoulder at him before hearing a loud bang, and I know my brother’s just kicked my door. Latham holds a finger to his lips and pulls my hand from the handle. The banging eventually stops, and I let out a breath, intending to go back to my apartment, when Latham grips my shoulder.

“Stay here tonight in case he comes back,” he says, but I shake my head.

“No, it's fine. I can handle my brother,” I tell him, knowing that was not true.

I can only hope to placate him until the next time.